I’ve put in close to 60 hours of Far Cry 5 now and there’re three things that make the game more accessible than past installments. One, sharks no longer try to kill you in the water. Two, you no longer get malaria. Three, your specialists, guns and fangs for hire are really helpful.

Even though stealth isn’t exactly the most well developed mechanic in the game, they’re still pretty good at not firing until you give the order or trigger chaos. They also possess different skills that make them situationally useful. Key to kicking ass and taking outposts is tailing your approach to the company you keep.

Don't forget to take the Leader perk from the Leadership branch of perks early on in the game. This will let you take two companies to travel with you instead of just one. That's great considering they are incredibly more helpful than your average game companion and can sometimes do more of the work than you'd expect. .

BOOMER is an adorable doggo. He’s suited to recon and stealth as Pointer lets him tag nearby enemies automatically, reducing the amount of binocular time you spend scouting. Retriever is supposed to make him fetch weapons from enemies but it doesn’t happen reliably and you’re probably kitted out to your needs already. Like other fangs, Boomer needs to close a distance to get in biting range but he also immobilizes the enemy when engaged. He’s a very good boy.

NICK RYE is a bush pilot, who provides fire support and aerial offense. As such, his abilities are rather straightforward. Bombs Away and Light ‘Em Up means he can provide both explosive ordnance and heavy suppression. As one of two pilots for hire, choosing Nick precludes stealth and he can’t support you once you start fighting indoors or underground.

GRACE ARMSTRONG is a former Army sniper and Olympic marksman. Her precision makes her one of the most situationally versatile companions you can take with you. She can help you hunt wildlife and take out key targets at your command. With every shot she fires, Boom Boom paralyzes nearby enemies with fear for a brief time. Friend Sight makes her laser sight green instead of red, making it easier to distinguish her from other snipers.

CHEESEBURGER is a young grizzly that was rescued from poachers. He is one of the toughest companions in Far Cry 5. With his huge-ass Bear Arms, he can pin pretty much anyone down in place and make short work of them. But the best thing about Cheeseburger – other than being adorable – is Cross to Bearmakes him draw aggro from enemies. He can still go down though! He may have a lot of health, but he still needs your support.

HURK DRUBMAN, JR. returns from Far Cry 3 and Far Cry 4. Given that he takes on most of the problems in Hope County with a rocket launcher, his usefulness is rather situational. Heat Seeker makes Hurk a much better shot at moving vehicles and Junk It makes vehicular kills are that much more explosive. But when it comes to rescuing hostages and keeping them alive, Hurk will do you no good. Nuh uh.

JESS BLACK is basically goth Katniss Everdeen, and is your other best bet for stealth and efficiency while exploring Hope County. Concealment gives her a lower chance to be spotted than even Grace Armstrong and Feral Friendly means that she’s less liable to get assaulted by stray wolverines while crouching in the grass. In my experience, she doesn’t have a lot of health, so when things go sideways, she’s usually the first to go down in the chaos.

PEACHESis a mountain lion whose been raised in captivity by a grumpy old lady. That makes her a mean cat who can Stalk silently to Pounce on enemies to deliver a mean kill. She’s a little weak though, which means you have to watch out for her when you get spotted. Still, Peaches is the fastest Fang for Hire. In my experience Peaches and Cheeseburger make a killer pair, with the latter drawing aggro while the former just tears a savage path through cultists.

SHARKY BOSHAW is a pyromaniac. No, really, not just cause he wields flame throwers, but because he’s actually been booked for arson. Sharky can be a little tough to fight alongside because everything he sets ablaze becomes a no go zone for you. In close quarters situations, his shotguns have an extra spark thanks to Fire It Up. Sharky is also rather durable, even to the chaos you might create on your own thanks to a resistance to explosions and impact from Shatterproof.

ADELAIDE DRUBMAN is a real estate agent turned chopper pilot, who is the second of the air support characters in Far Cry 5. Call A Chopper means she always joins you in-flight with a helicopter to provide suppression fire above and below. Less Reload means that her chopper’s gun actually has a larger ammo capacity than regular ole choppers you get from helipads. Fun fact: You can fire a grapnel at Adelaide’s chopper in mid-flight for your turn at the controls.

Carlos asks a few questions about Matthew's full review of Far Cry 5 and discusses what the game does so well and where it falls short. We also talk a bit about God of War, which is based on the recent positive feedback given by critics.

While it never manages to slake the thirst for narrative depth promised in its marketing, Far Cry 5 still provides an open world that is ultimately the most satisfying that Ubisoft has delivered to date.